Makes cents: Put low-cost lighting in low-income housing
May 27th, 2010
New to Habitat for Humanity homes in the US: Energy-efficient LED lighting from Cree. Photo via Flickr: FirstBaptistNashville
Too often, people think of eco-friendly home improvements like solar panels and LED lighting as being for the conscientious wealthy. But ironically, it’s the people with the least money who could benefit most from the cost savings a green home can provide. So why aren’t energy-efficient lighting and appliances automatically incorporated into new low-income housing?
They should be: Habitat for Humanity, for instance, just announced that it will be putting high-efficiency LED downlights from Cree in the kitchens of all new Habitat homes in the United States. The eco-friendly lighting will mean significant savings: In California, for instance, homeowners can expect to save nearly $100 a year on energy costs.
Eight dollars a month may not seem like a lot of money, but to low-income families, every little bit makes a difference. And keep in mind that this is only the savings for energy efficient lighting in the kitchen. Could you imagine if the whole house employed these LEDs?
Other organizations are working to bring green building practices to affordable housing. Global Green has assisted over two dozen low-income housing developers nationwide through its Greening of Affordable Housing Initiative, including the Nueva Vista Family Housing project in Santa Cruz, CA (solar electricity, fluorescent lighting, hydronic heating, and Energy Star appliances) and the Plaza Apartments in San Francisco (abundant daylight, rooftop PV panels, natural gas–fired boilers, and radiant hot water).
–Jennifer Grayson
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May 27th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
You make a great point about the need for making energy-efficient lighting and appliances a staple in new low-income housing. In addition to the energy savings, LED lighting can help reduce cooling costs since LED lights produce significantly less heat than incandescent lights. And since LED lights are designed to last much longer, low-income homeowners would even save money on bulb replacements. Like you said, it all adds up.
May 28th, 2010 at 10:55 am
Thanks, Ginny. Love the work you guys are doing over at Cree. Great point about reducing the cooling costs. And the life of the Cree LEDs mentioned in the article is incredible — I read that owners wouldn’t have to replace a bulb for over 20 years.